Floor Register With Rotatable Air Deflector

ABSTRACT

An air register for covering an air duct opening in a space ventilated by a forced central air system. The invention permits the user to change the direction of the air flow by rotating the air deflector. The invention also permits the user to regulate the amount of the air flowing into the space by adjusting the shutter of the damper box, by rotating the air deflector, or by doing both. The invention therefore gives the user many options in selecting the desirable air flow setting.

PRIORITY

The present invention claims priority under 35 USC section 119 based upon a provisional application which was filed on Dec. 4, 2009 and which has a Ser. No. of 61/266,542.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to air registers for regulation the flow of air from a heating or air-conditioning system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For a space that is ventilated by a forced central air system, air registers are used to cover air duct opening on walls, ceilings, and/or floors of the space. They allow air to flow into the space while preventing large objects from entering the duct.

Air registers typically consists of two parts: the grill, which is the outside part of the register used mainly to cover the opening, and the damper box, which is the inside part of the register used to control the air flow through the duct. The damper box is sized to fit within an air duct opening. The grill cover is typically designed with parallel louvers, but may have decorative patterns. Mass-produced, pre-manufactured air registers are prefabricated, or assembled by gluing or snapping the damper box and the grill cover together.

Air registers may be held in place within an air duct opening using friction between the damper box and the sides of the air duct opening and fasteners that pass through either the grill or the damper box into the surrounding surface.

Users may control the amount of air flow by pressing a lever or actuating another control on the damper box, which opens or closes the shutters to increase or reduce the amount of air streaming into the space. The direction of the air flow through the register is generally perpendicular to the air register grill as the air is pushed through the ducts. When the air register is located underneath or behind furniture in a room, the undirected flow of air may be restricted.

To address this problem, an air deflector may be used to redirect the air flow. An air deflector is a separate apparatus that is adhered or fastened to the grill. A typical air deflector is a curved piece of plastic that is attached to the grill using magnets or adhesive strips.

There are circumstances where it would be useful for the air deflector to be adjustable. The prior art air deflectors are either rigidly affixed to the air register, or are removable, but cannot be adjusted easily. A fixed air register is by definition not easily adjustable, and a removable air register must be stored and replaced each time the air flow is adjusted. There is a need for an air register having a deflector that is easily adjustable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention may include a register for controlling the flow of a fluid from a duct, specifically for a heating and air conditioning system which may include a grill, a damper box sized to fit within the duct, the damper box may define a passage may have a first opening and a second opening, the first opening may be fluid communication with the grill, and the second opening may be fluid communication with the duct; and a deflector which may be mounted on a pivot axis that is rotatable from an extended position to a retracted position.

The deflector in the extended position may deflect fluid passing from the duct through the grill.

The invention may be further directed to a register as described above, where in the retracted position, the deflector at least partially may occlude the second opening.

The deflector may include a curved top wall. The deflector may include a sidewall to connect to the curved top wall. The deflector may include a protruding lip. The damper box may include a bottom curved wall. The damper box may include a sidewall to connect to the bottom curved wall. The sidewall may include a raised surface. The raised surface may include a slot to cooperate with a pivot axis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1A is perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1B is side view the first embodiment in an extended position;

FIG. 1C is side view the first embodiment in a retracted position;

FIG. 2A is perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention in an extended position;

FIG. 2B is perspective view the second embodiment in a retracted position;

FIG. 2C is side view the second embodiment in a retracted position;

FIG. 2D is side view the second embodiment in an extended position;

FIG. 2E is perspective view the second embodiment with the deflector detached;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention showing its components; and

FIGS. 4A to C are perspective views of a fourth embodiment of the invention depicting the transition from an extended position to a retracted position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1A and 1C show a first embodiment of the invention which may include a grill 10 affixed to a damper box 12 to form an air register for an air vent.

The damper box 12 may define a passage through which air may flow. One end of the passage may open to the grill 10, and the second end of the passage 14 may be in fluid communication with an air duct. The damper box may preferably be a rectangular prism may have a tapered portion at the second end 14, but may be any shape that performs its function.

The grill 10 may define a plurality of openings which allow the passage of air. The grill 10 may also have a flange which extends outwardly around the edge of the grill 10 to rest upon any adjacent surface, but this flange may not be necessary for certain applications. In this preferred embodiment, the flange may include holes to permit a fastener, such as a screw, to be used to affix the air register to the air duct or adjacent surface.

The grill 10 is shown with a louvered grill pattern in all the figures, but may be decorated with any design pattern.

The air register further may include an air deflector 11 that may deflect air that is passing out of the grill 10 from the air duct. In this embodiment, the air deflector 11 may have two sides, and a curbed surface that act to redirect air from the air duct. It is preferred that each side may define at least a quarter circle, which in conjunction with the curved surface define a portion of a cylinder cut lengthwise. However, the air deflector may also have a plurality of flat surfaces joined along their long edges to create an approximately curved surface.

The air deflector 11 may pivot about a pivot axis 13 which is parallel to the plane in which the grill 10 generally lays, and which may pass through the grill 10 along that plane, or through a portion of the damper box 12. The air deflector 11 may be permitted to pivot about the pivot axis using any known method, but preferably is mounted on the damper box 12 using rivets, screws or bolts. The air deflector 11 may be pivoted by a user using knobs or wheels affixed to the sides of the air deflector 11 in line with the pivot axis 13. If the grill 10 has a flange, the grill 10 may have a slit 19 which permits the air deflector 11 to pass through the grill 10 as it pivots. The slit 19 may have a rubber or flexible gasket or seal to prevent debris from falling into the slit 19.

The air deflector 11 may be moved between an extended position shown in FIG. 1B, and a retracted position in FIG. 1C. In the extended position, the air deflector 11 may deflect air that passes out the air register through the grill. In the retracted position, the air deflector 11 does not deflect any air that passes out of the air register through the grill 10. In the retracted position, in a preferred embodiment, the air deflector 11 may partially or completed occlude the passage through the damper box at or near the second end 14. This has the secondary effect of blocking the air vent, or otherwise controlling the flow of the air through the air register when the air deflector 11 is not in use redirecting air. Alternatively, the air register may have a separate device for controlling air flow through it, such as at least one movable louver, which may be used in conjunction with the moveable air deflector to control air.

Depending on the size and shape of the air duct opening and the depth of the damper box 12, the damper box 12 may require a tapered portion at the second end 14 to allow enough clearance to permit the air deflector to move into the retracted position. The damper box 12 may also have a protrusion or stop 15 that extend from the side of the damper box 12 to prevent the air deflector from pivoting beyond the retracted position which may be more than is desirable.

In an embodiment designed to fit to a cylindrical air duct, the grill is circular, and the air deflector and damper box are hemispherical in shape. In this embodiment, the air deflector may be mounted on a ring which may rotate relative to the surrounding surface to allow the redirection of the air in many directions.

When in any position, the air deflector 11 may be kept in position by friction within the pivoting mechanism. Gaskets at the pivoting points may be used if the inherent friction at the pivoting points is not sufficient to keep the air deflector 11 in place.

In a preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A to 2E, the air register may include a grill 20 mounted to a damper box 22. The damper box 22 may have a passage extending therethrough to allow the passage of air from the air duct. The passage may have a first opening where the grill 20 is mounted to the damper box 22, and a second opening 27 in fluid communication with an air duct. In their embodiment, the damper box may define a portion of a cylinder cut lengthwise twice, each cut may define an opening to create the passage.

The air register further may include an air deflector 21 that may be pivotable about a pivot axis 23 using a pivoting device at the pivot points where the pivot axis intersects the air register. In this embodiment, the pivoting device may include an axle 27 between the pivot points, where each end of the axle may be engaged to the sides of the air deflector 21, and a wheel 26 mounted on the axle 27. The wheel 26 may be rotated by hand to rotate the axle 27 and the air deflector 21 between a retracted position shown in FIG. 2C and an extended position shown in FIG. 2D. The grill 20 in this embodiment may have a flange, which as a slit 29 through which the deflector may pass when pivoted.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2E, the air deflector 21 may be removable, and may be engaged to the pivoting device manually. When in the extended position, if force is applied to the air deflector 21 in a direction that is roughly parallel to the surface surrounding the air register, the air deflector 21 may disengage from the rest of the device. This feature is a safety precaution to reduce the risk of injury to persons should something become caught on the air deflector 21 when in the extended position.

A similar embodiment is depicted in FIG. 3, in an exploded assembly drawing. In this embodiment, the second opening 34 in the damper box 32 may be positioned off to one side of the damper box, and may not parallel to the grill 30.

This air register may be manufactured and sold as a kit, and can be assembled by a purchaser using hand tools. Several clips may be used to attach the damper box 32 to the grill 30. The air deflector 38 may have a small semicircular recess and a larger concentric semicircular indent at each end of its quarter-circle sides. When assembled, the recesses and indents may engage the knobs 36. The knob 36 may be kept in place in the damper box using a screw 37. The air deflector may pivot using the knobs 36 and rotate about the pivot axis.

The air deflector 31 may have a protruding lip 38 along its upper edge which may connect to the curved top wall 301 of the air deflector 31. The curved top wall 301 which may be a quarter cylinder shaped wall and may be connected to the side wall 303 which may be a quarter round shaped wall. The sidewall 303 may include an exterior raised surface 305 which may define a slot 307 to cooperate with the pivot axis. When the air deflector is rotated into a retracted position, the protruding lip 38 prevents the air deflector 31 from falling completely below the grill 30.

The damper box 32 may include a curved bottom wall 309 which may substantially a half cylinder shaped box and which may include a front protruding lip and may include a back protruding lip to cooperate with the grill 30 and may include a sidewall 311 which may connect to the curved bottom wall 309 and which may be substantially a semi circle in shape. The sidewall 311 may include a raised surface 313 which may include a slot or aperture 315 to cooperate with the pivot axis. The sidewall 311 may include a protruding lip to cooperate with the protruding lip of the curved bottom wall 309 and to provide a support surface for the grill 30.

The air deflector 31 may also have a lip that extends from its lower edge. In this embodiment, when the air deflector 31 is pivoted to a retracted position underneath the grill 30, and the protruding lip 38 is resting flush against the grill 30, the air deflector may occlude the second opening 34, preventing or impeding the passage of air from the air duct. The lip may overlap with the damper box 32 to further occlude the passage.

The air deflector 31 may be rotated to various positions within its rotation range and can be held in those positions by the friction created by the fastening of the parts with the knobs 36 and screws 37. It can therefore be appreciated that a user can rotate the air deflector 31 to various positions to regulate both the direction and the amount or air flowing through the air register.

In another embodiment depicted in FIGS. 4A to 4C, the air register including a grill 40 and a pivotable air deflector 41 further may include a pivotable slit cover 48, which rests against and pivots with the air deflector when in the extended position shown in FIG. 4A, but separates from the air deflector 41 when it passes through the slit in the grill 40. As the air deflector 41 pivots into the retracted position, as shown in FIG. 4B and 4C, the slit cover 48, which has a portion that is wider than the width of the slit, separates from the air deflector 41 and rests upon the grill 40, thereby covering the slit. When the air deflector 41 is pivoted from the retracted to the extended position, the slit cover 48 is carried along with it as it passes through the slit.

The air deflector, the grill, and the damper box are made of any material suitable for their functions and currently available in the industry. Aluminum, steel and plastics may be particularly useful, separately and in combination, depending on the application.

This air register may be adapted for use in any application where a fluid, including a gaseous fluid, is moved from a duct to another volume, and it is advantageous to have both a grill covering the duct opening, and an a deflector to redirect the fluid.

The foregoing description illustrates only certain preferred embodiments of the invention. The invention is not limited to the foregoing examples. That is, persons skilled in the art will appreciate and understand that modifications and variations are, or will be, possible to utilize and carry out the teachings of the invention described herein. Accordingly, all suitable modifications, variations and equivalents are intended to fall within the scope of the claims. 

1. A register for controlling the flow of a fluid from a duct comprising: a. a grill; b. a damper box sized to fit within the duct defining a passage having a first opening and a second opening, the first opening in fluid communication with the grill, and the second in fluid communication with the duct; and c. a deflector mounted on a pivot axis that is rotatable from an extended position to a retracted position; wherein in the extended position, the deflector deflects fluid passing from the duct through the grill.
 2. The register of claim 1, wherein in the retracted position, the deflector at least partially occludes the second opening.
 3. The register as in claim 1, wherein the deflector includes a curved top wall.
 4. The register as in claim 3, wherein the deflector includes a sidewall to connect to the curved top wall.
 5. The register as in claim 4, wherein the deflector includes a protruding lip.
 6. The register as in claim 1, wherein the damper box includes a bottom curved wall.
 7. The register as in claim 6, wherein the damper box includes a sidewall to connect to the bottom curved wall.
 8. The register as in claim 7, wherein the sidewall includes a raised surface.
 9. The register as in claim 8, wherein the raised surface includes a slot to cooperate with a pivot axis. 